The Way of the Druid
by Kohlii
Summary: When Thorin Briarhoof finds a Gnomish infant after murdering her family, he can't bring himself to end her life as well. Instead he spirits her away to Moonglade where he raises her as his own. As Chivahk grows in the Druidic art, she must fight oppression from those who don't find a Gnome worthy of becoming a Druid or a member of the Horde.


Fire. It was everywhere. Thorin Briarhoof cringed slightly at the screaming around him as his men looted another house and set it aflame. Noticing his weakness, Thorin steeled himself.

They were Alliance. They had killed his father and brother, so it was okay, right? The Tauren Druid quickly cast a thorns spell on himself and entered a yet untouched building.

"Leave!" A squeaky voice ordered.

'Gnome' Thorin thought absently before letting the warm spirit of the bear wash over him, shifting his physique into that of the large omnivore. He swung his large paw into the tiny creature before him, hearing the bones crunch, the bear spirit inside of him singing with bloodlust. The rest of the house was cleared out like that, three other unarmored Gnomes falling easily beneath his great paws. When his mind finally cleared, he released the spirit of the bear.

The once clean floor before him was drenched in blood. "I didn't know that so much blood could come from one Gnome." Thorin grunted numbly.

His bovine ears twitched when he heard the sound of crying from the next room. He walked in, staff raised, ready to put the poor creature out of its misery.

And then he just stopped. His staff clattered to the floor. Walking forward, he peered into the basket before him.

A shock of pink hair and a tiny face peered with unbridled curiosity at the Tauren. The wailing stopped and it began to coo. Thorin stumbled back. He couldn't murder a child in cold blood - that was against his Druidic code.

The baby Gnome (for that was what it was) began to wail once more.

Thorin looked at it again.

It stopped wailing.

Thorin brought a huge hand to its blanket and checked its sex. 'Female'. The little girl sneezed at him and lifted her arms toward his face. Hesitantly he reached down and picked up the bundle.

"I just murdered your entire family" he murmured, " and yet for some reason I can't make myself murder you."

She giggled at him and clutched his thumb, the digit requiring both of her hands to surround it.

He chuckled at how tiny she was, but was suddenly brought back to reality when he felt the heat of fire at his back.

Thorin glanced down at the baby once more and then cradled her to his chest, rushing out of the burning building.

"Thorin?" A chocolate colored Tauren spoke, holding a burning stick in his hand. "Sorry, I didn't know that you were still inside. What took you so long?"

Thorin stood before his comrade, hulking form black against the inferno behind him. "This." He revealed the tiny form clutched against his chest.

"Thorin! Why did you save it? It's Alliance, our enemy!"

"Borthuk, she's a baby. I will raise her as Horde." Thorin smiled. "Chivahk is a good name, don't you think?"

"That's treason Thorin!" Borthuk scolded. "What would Cairne Bloodhoof say of this?"

"Even if it is treason, I could not leave my little Chivahk now, dear friend."

"Very well, but I know nothing of this act. You will have to keep her a secret until you can prove her undying loyalty to the Horde. Without these precautions you risk her murder before she yet comes of age."

Thorin hesitated for a minute, then stood strong. "I eliminated her family and all will believe that she perished among them. We are safe from Alliance discovery, at least for now."

"Thorin," Borthuk put a chocolate hand on the russet Tauren's shoulder. "Are you sure that you want to take on this responsibility? You're still young, friend. A child is a burden someone young and unwedded should not have to worry about."

"Chivahk will not be a burden. I will love her like my own and raise her in the Druidic arts, the spirits of the wild be willing." Thorin smiled at his old friend, tucking the tiny blanketed form once again to his broad torso.

"The raid is over with, men. Move out!"

Oooooooooo

Six years later in a house nestled on the outskirts of Nighthaven, Chivahk was growing strong. From Thorin, she learned Tauren and Orcish - written as well as spoken. She preferred the language of her father's people over the harsh, guttural tongue of the green skinned warrior race, but understood that to survive as a proper young Horde lady she had to learn the common tongue, loath as she was to it.

The Druids of Moonglade were mostly accepting of her since they didn't harbor loyalty towards either faction, but many had protested when Thorin requested permission to teach Chivahk the Druidic arts.

"She's a Gnome, Thorin" They would point out gently, as was their nature. "The only race less suited to the Druidic way would be a Goblin. The Gnomish wish to change the world as they see fit, polluting the air and streams with their inventions rather than working to live in harmony with nature as a Druid must."

Chivahk found this confusing, for she had been raised in harmony with nature and therefore the Gnomish stereotype didn't really apply to her. It was like saying all Trolls were barbarians or all Blood Elves were stuck up magic addicts. Even the calm, benevolent way they said it didn't make her feel any better.

After overhearing the latest lecture her father had received on the subject, Chivahk sighed in disappointment and abandoned the home of the close-minded Night Elves and Tauren of the Cenaurian Circle in favor of its forested surroundings.

The animals of Moonglade weren't too leery of the local humanoid population, so Chivahk was only pleasantly surprised when a boisterous trio of panther cubs pounced on her. As she was preoccupied with wrestling playful baby cats, delighted giggles spilling from her lips when they licked her with their sandpaper tongues, she didn't notice an unnatural fog roll in.

'Little One,' a strange scratchy voice called. It seemed unaccustomed to speaking Orcish, and the unfamiliarity of the sound made Chivahk spin around in search of the speaker. The cubs, sensing her fear, nosed at her arms in reassurance. "Do not fear Me, child. I am not here to harm you."

"W-what," Chivahk took a deep breath to calm herself, drawing on her father's meditating lessons and began again. "What do you want then?" Her eyes flitted about the fog-shrouded perimeter of the clearing to try and spot the speaker.

"The Druid in the place you left are trying to determine what I can or cannot claim as Mine. I am here to claim you, My child." The voice drawled pridefully, dripping with annoyance when it spoke of the Druid's actions.

"Um...?" Chivahk let out confusedly.

"Right," The voice almost sounded sheepish. "You don't even know who I am yet."

A huge semi-transparent panther emerged from the mist and prowled towards the tiny Gnome. She shrunk back, wary of the new threat, and widened her blue eyes in fear. The beautiful beast merely sat back on its haunches and gave her a pointed look. "I am Klavachi'ir, the spirit of the panther, and I give you My blessing, Little One." The ethereal cat fixed its starlike blue eyes on the pink haired lass and spoke commandingly. "Come."

Her limbs seemed to move of her own accord towards the compelling, scratchy voice of the specter. When she was close enough to be brushed by the spirit's whiskers, the control of her extremities was returned to her, but she didn't move, preferring instead to stare in awe at the prideful beast before her.

"I bless you with My form, Little One. Use it to display your superiority over your enemies." Bending over the pinkette that was barely taller than one of its paws, the wild spirit touched her head with its nose. A bright white light blazed at the point of contact and Chivahk fell unconscious from the knowledge transfer.

Where she fell, a tiny pink panther cub lay, no sign of the Gnomish child remaining.

**Hey all, this idea has been running around in my mind for a little too long. I love Horde, love Gnomes, and love Druids, so it's quite inevitable that I would write a story about one. Little Chivahk will grow up soon enough, don't worry! It's still a little up in the air whether she will make Alliance or Horde friends yet, though!**

**And this story is NOT referencing The Pink Panther in any way. ^^ The pink haired Gnome just ended up with a pink furred Cat Form. Leave me a review to tell me what you think of it!**


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